Match-winner Leddy keeps his cool for Cross’
Patrick Leddy scored two points, including the match winner that secured Crossmolina a one point home win against Garrymore.
Two of the form teams in Mayo SFL Division 1 played out a closely-fought contest on Deelside last Friday evening, with home side Crossmolina edging out a Garrymore team that was unbeaten in its previous four matches.
With the teams level on three occasions in the final quarter, it took a late Patrick Leddy point to secure both points for the North Mayo men.
In warm conditions, there was no lack of chances in the opening minutes yet scores were hard come by as both sides kicked their fair share of wides.
Sean Óg McGuiness eventually broke the deadlock after a dart up the middle of the Garrymore defence. Fionán Duffy, with defenders converging on him, fisted the ball over the top to Dylan Flynn who stroked the ball over to double Crossmolina’s lead.
Solid goalkeeping under the dropping ball saw Brian Lynskey earn a free and take a quick restart, which saw the ball worked up the field to corner-forward Mark Gibbons who popped the ball over off his right for the visitors first score. However, Crossmolina replied with two quick scores from corner-forward James Maheady. The first was a free perfectly judged from a tight angle on the right, the second following after a long ball into the goalmouth that saw the quick-thinking Duffy slap the ball to the oncoming Maheady who swept over.
Garrymore were struggling to retain possession and finding themselves turning the ball over regularly. In contrast, Crossmolina saw Diarmuid Walsh and Diarmuid Coggins combine just inside the arc for the latter to kick his side four points ahead.
A first Garrymore point in 10 minutes saw Cathal Tierney kick over when allowed to easily progress through the heart of the Cross’ defence. A poor kickout followed from which the away side launched a high ball in which was claimed by Evan Gannon who popped the ball to the oncoming Conor Lydon. The half-back was hacked down just outside the penalty area and Mark Gibbons easily tapped over the free.
A string of wides followed from Garrymore and after another overturn, Crossmolina counterattacked where Oisin Deane carried the ball up the pitch, linking with several teammates along the way before receiving the ball back and calmly slotting the ball past keeper Lynskey. Garrymore, however, went right back up the other end and produced a goal chance of their own, but JP Mulhern spread himself to deny Colin Commins from very close range.
A trade of points between Dylan Flynn and Cathal Tierney followed but a five points gap between the sides was reduced to three (1-6 to 0-6) when a sloppy free conceded by Crossmolina allowed Andrew Glennon to thump over from outside the arc on the stroke of half-time.
Flynn opened the scoring minutes into the second-half, selling a lovely dummy, coming in off the right hand side and sweeping over with his left. Diarmuid Coggins dominated the following kickout to claim the ball and play a one-two before confidently tapping over, to restore their five points advantage.
Garrymore responded with another selection of wides but were given another lifeline when complaints from the Crossmolina sideline saw a free brought up to just outside the arc. The kick was dispatched by Mark Gibbons and the lead was cut to three once more, 1-8 to 0-8.
The hosts would continue to keep their opponents at arm’s length though, as the ever probing James Maheady perfectly judged a kick off the left that saw the ball drop just over while Fionán Duffy further relieved the pressure with a beautiful score, slicing across the ball with his right foot.
Entering the final quarter, Garrymore were again faced with a five points deficit but almost miraculously, the next five points would all go their way.
The newly introduced Joseph Ferriter earned a free for Gibbons to slot over before Cathal Tierney combined well with Gary Golden before popping over from mid-range. Nathan Gill left his marker for dust with blistering pace before laying off to the surging Conor Lydon who burst through tackles and tapped over. Mark Gibbons span in behind his marker to receive an excellent ball over the top by Gary Golden and send the ball over the bar to reduce the arrears to one point. The leveller came from Conor Lydon who scored an almost identical point to his last, arriving from deep unmarked and slotting over.
The experience built up in recent seasons meant that Crossmolina didn’t panic. Patrick Leddy restored their lead and while that point was immediately cancelled out by Andrew Glennon from a placed ball, Cross’ attacked again and Diarmuid Coggins found himself in acres of space on the left and from a tight angle calmly tacked on his third point of the game.
Garrymore, with similar urgency, rushed up the pitch and drew level again through an excellent point by Colin Commins. But the locals took the kickout quickly and before you knew it, Patrick Leddy found himself in space on the left hand side. An outstanding run from deep by Sean Óg McGuinness drew two Garrymore defenders away from Leddy which allowed him the time and space to pull the trigger and kick the match-winning point, keeping his team within three points of top spot in the table.
Scorers – Crossmolina: Diarmuid Coggins, Dylan Flynn and James Maheady (1f) 0-0-3 each, Oisin Deane 0-1-0, Patrick Leddy 0-0-2, Sean Óg McGuinness and Fionan Duffy 0-0-1 each.
Garrymore: Mark Gibbons 0-1-4 (tpf, 1f), Andrew Glennon 0-1-1 (tpf, 1f), Cathal Tierney 0-0-3, Conor Lydon 0-0-2, Colin Commins 0-0-1.
Crossmolina: JP Mulhern; Sean Óg McGuinness, Kevin Mulhern, Matthew Gordetskyy; Mikie Loftus, Patrick McAndrew, Aaron Coggins; Diarmuid Coggins, Cillian Fergus; Oisin Deane, Patrick Leddy, Dylan Flynn; Diarmuid Walsh, Fionan Duffy, James Maheady. Subs: Eoin O’Boyle (for Fergus), Kevin Keane (for Walsh), Joseph Loftus (for Maheady).
Garrymore; Brian Lynskey; Alan Commins, Colin Commins, Nathan Gill; Conor Lydon, Liam Horkan, David Dolan; Gary Golden, Aaron Hughes; Patrick Hession, Andrew Glennon, Cathal Tierney; Micheál Connolly, Mark Gibbons, Evan Gannon. Subs: Joseph Ferriter (for Gannon), Justin Commins (for Connolly).
REF: Ronan Gurren (Aghamore)
